UNIVERSITI PUTRA MALAYSIA

DEVELOPMENT OF KNOWLEDGE-BASED POWER SYSTEM PROTECTION DESIGN COURSEWARE

MOHAMMAD LUTFI BIN OTHMAN

FK 2004 59

DEVELOPMENT OF KNOWLEDGE-BASED POWER SYSTEM PROTECTION DESIGN COURSEWARE

By

MOHAMMAD LUTFI BIN OTHMAN

Thesis Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, in Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science

November 2004

DEDICATION

I would like to dedicate this project to my beloved family, all my lecturers in

the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering and friends. Their guidance

and relentless support have been a great inspiration to the realization of this project.

All their good deeds deserve the reward of great virtues of Allah.

ii

Abstract of thesis presented to the Senate ofUniversiti Putra Malaysia in fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Science

DEVELOPMENT OF KNOWLEDGE-BASED POWER SYSTEM PROTECTION DESIGN COURSEWARE

By

MOHAMMAD LUTFI BIN OTHMAN

November 2004

Chairman: Associate Professor Ishak Aris, Ph.D.

Faculty: Engineering

Power system protection is a relatively specialized topic that encompasses a large

variety of areas from generator protection at the source side to as far as motor

protection at the load end. However, the sources for a complete collection of

information on power system protections comprising the generator protection,

station bus protection, line protection, transformer protection and motor protection

are obviously scattered. Having been in the engineering consultancy business for

years, it is realized that finding even a fundamental knowledge of a particular

protection scheme in the line protection area in a convenient way is somewhat

cumbersome. There isn't any interactive multimedia application software that can

offer a complete compilation of topics on various power system protections

comprising not only theories but also some pertinent industry application

recommendations.

It is therefore the objective of the project to develop, usmg an expert system

approach, an interactive multimedia courseware to serve as a computer-based

training tool in power system protections by integrating technical theories, industrial

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application recommendations and some specific simulations by which the user has a

wide range of choices for obtaining technical information on power system

protection. The method involved in designing the courseware revolves around the

approach of using an authoring expert system shell Macromedia Director. It

provides the facility of blending the power system protection knowledge domain and

interactivity knowledge.

The scope of work involved in designing the software lies in the fact that the

software is characterized by its three prong capabilities: multimedia interactive,

knowledge based and numerical analysis ready. Being a multimedia application the

final product shall be interactive and user friendly, full of attention drawing media

elements such as animations, textual information, video clips, graphics, and sounds.

Being a knowledge based application, it is full of information excerpt on power

system protection obtained from variety of sources such as widely referred texts,

industry application manuals, international standards such as IEEE's recommended

practice and seminar materials. Being numerical analysis ready, the software can

link itself to widely used engineering simulation softwares such as MA TLAB for

running simulations on some industry'S power system protection configurations.

A simple survey has been carried out to ascertain its usefulness and user friendliness

by having a number of people from different facets of working disciplines in the

industry as well as students try out and evaluate the final product. Generally the

response has been very encouraging. The application has the potential of more

expansion in terms of the contemporary applications in the present power system

protection advancement.

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Abstrak tesis yang dikemukakan kepada Senat Universiti Putra Malaysia sebagai memenuhi keperluan untuk ijazah Master Sains

PEMBANGUNAN PERI SIAN REKA BENTUK PERLINDUNGAN SISTEM KUASA BERASASKAN PENGETAHUAN

Oleh

MOHAMMAD LUTFI BIN OTHMAN

November 2004

Pengerusi: Profesor Madya Ishak Aris, Ph.D.

Fakulti: Kejuruteraan

Perlindungan sistem kuasa adalah suatu topik khas yang merangkumi pelbagai

bidang dari perlindungan janakuasa di bahagian sumber kuasa sehinggalah kepada

perlindungan motor di hujung beban. Tetapi koleksi informasi yang lengkap tentang

perlindungan sistem kuasa yang mengandungi perlindungan janakuasa, perlindungan

stesyen bas, perlindungan talian, perlindungan alatubah dan perlindungan motor

adalah ternyata sekali berselerak. Setelah terlibat dengan activiti perunding

kejuruteraan sekian lama, adalah didapati bahawa untuk mendapatkan bahkan

pengetahuan asas mengenai sesuatu skim perlindungan di dalam perlindungan talian

secara mudah adalah agak sukar. Tidak tepdapat suatu perisian multimedia yang

menyediakan kompilasi lengkap tentang topik-topik berkenaan pelbagai

perlindungan sistem kuasa yang merangkumi bukan sahaja teori-teori tetapi juga

cadangan-cadangan penting mengenai penggunaannya di dalam industri.

Oleh yang demikian adalah menjadi objectif projek iili, dengan menggunakan

pendekatan sistem pakar, untuk membangunkan satu peri sian pembelajaran

multimedia interaktif yang bertindak sebagai alat pengajaran berasaskan komputer di

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dalam bidang perlindungan sistem kuasa dengan mengintegrasikan teori-teori

teknikal, applikasi-applikasi industri dan beberapa simulasi terperinci dimana

pengguna diberi pilihan yang luas untuk mendapatkan informasi teknikal tentang

perlindungan sistem kuasa. Kaedah yang terlibat di dalam membangunkan sistem

pakar adalah berkisar kepada penggunaan perisian pengarangan sistem pakar yang

dikenali sebagai Macromedia Director. Ianya menyediakan kemudahan

menggabungkan pengetahuan mengenai perlindungan sistem kuasa dan pengetahuan

tentang penginteraktifan.

Skop kerja yang terlibat di dalam membangunkan perisian ini berlandaskan kepada

cirinya yang mempunyai tiga kemampuan: bermultimedia interaktif, berasaskan

pengetahuan dan tersedia dengan analisa numerikal. Sebagai perisian yang

berbentuk multimedia, peroduk akhir yang dibangunkan adalah bercirikan interaktif

dan mesra pengguna, dipenuhi dengan elimen-elimen media yang menarik perhatian

seperti animasi, informasi teks, klip video, grafik and suara. Sebagai penSlan

berasaskan pengetahuan, ianya lengkap dengan petikan informasi tentang

perlindungan sistem kuasa yang deperolehi dari pelbagai sumber seperti buku-buku

teks yang dirujuk dengan meluas, manual-manual aplikasi industri, amalan-amalan

yang disyorkan oleh piawai antarabangsa seperti IEEE dan bahan-bahan seminar.

Sebagai satu perisian yang lengkap dengan analisa pengiraan, ianya boleh

dihubungkan dengan peri sian simulasi kejuruteraan yang digunakan secara meluas

seperti MA TLAB bagi melaksanakan simulasi beberapa konfigurasi perlindungan

sistem kuasa industri.

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Satu kajian ringkas telah dijalankan untuk memantau keberkesanan dan kemesraan

pengguna dengan melibatkan beberapa orang dari sector kerjaya yang berbeza di

dalam industri begitu juga pelajar-pelajar untuk mencuba mengguna dan seterusnya

menilai produk ini. Secara keseluruhannya respon yang deperolehi adalah

memberangsangkan. Aplikasi ini mempunyai potensi untuk dikembangkan lagi dari

segi penggunaan kontemporari di dalam kemajuan perlindungan sistem kuasa

sekarang.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First and foremost, I would like to thank Associate Professor Dr. Ishak Bin

Aris, my advisor and supervisory committee chairman, for giving me this

opportunity to embark on the project and guiding me throughout this exciting

challenge. I greatly appreciate his knowledge, availability, support, dedication and

particularly his words of wisdom. His motivation is full of novel ideas. I would also

like to thank my other supervisory committee members for commenting and

reviewing on this work: Associate Professor Ir. Dr. Norman Bin Mariun and Pn.

Ratna Kalos Zakiah Bte. Sahbudin. I appreciate their knowledge, collaboration and

recommendations in making this project a dream come true.

I am grateful to En. Hairussaleh Bin Osman, a power system researcher at

the TNB Research Sdn. Bhd. for his excellent support in the laboratory simulation of

the line distance protection. I appreciate his corporation and technical knowledge.

Special thanks also goes to Dr. Nasrullah Khan for his valuable knowledge

and field experience in power system protection imparted upon me in his Power

System Protection course. May this project software be a great company as a

teaching tool in his class.

Last but not least, particular thanks to my wife Azma, for working side by

side in her own specialization in medicine and encouraging me to devote my time

seriously in completing this great endeavor while running my consulting engineering

firm. And of course my kids, Muhammad Naufal, Muhammad Naqeeb, Nuur

Nuwairah and Nuur Nadhirah, their patience is my greatest motivation.

I pray for Allah's blessing for their collective sacrifice of time, effort and

personal engagements.

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I certify that an Examination Committee met on 14th October 2004 to conduct the final examination of Mohammad Lutfi Bin Othman on his Master of Science thesis entitled "Development of Knowledge-Based Power System Protection Design Courseware" in accordance with Universiti Pertanian Malaysia (Higher Degree) Act 1980 and Universiti Pertanian Malaysia (Higher Degree) Regulations 1981. The Committee recommends that the candidate be awarded the relevant degree. Members of the Examination Committee are as follows:

Adznan Jantan, Ph.D. Associate Professor Faculty of Engineering

Universiti Putra Malaysia (Chairman)

Mohibullah, Ph.D. Associate Professor Faculty of Engineering

Universiti Putra Malaysia (Member)

Norhisham Misron, Ph.D. Lecturer Faculty of Engineering

Universiti Putra Malaysia (Member)

Azah Mohamed, Ph.D. Professor Department of Electrical, Electronics and Systems Faculty of Engineering

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (Independent Examiner)

GULAM ProfessorlDeput ean School of Graduate Studies

Universiti Putra Malaysia

Date: 30 November 2004

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This thesis submitted to the Senate of Universiti Putra Malaysia and has been accepted as fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Science. The members of the Supervisory Committee are as follows:

Ishak Aris, Ph.D. Associate Professor Faculty of Engineering

Universiti Putra Malaysia (Chairman)

Ir. Norman Bin Mariun, Ph.D. Associate Professor Faculty of Engineering

Universiti Putra Malaysia (Member)

Ratna Kalos Zakiah Bte. Sahbudin Lecturer Faculty of Engineering

Universiti Putra Malaysia (Member)

AINI IDERIS, Ph.D. ProfessorlDean School of Graduate Studies

Universiti Putra Malaysia

Date: 0 9 DEC 2004

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DECLARATION

I hereby declare that the thesis is based on my original work except for quotations and citations which have been duly acknowledged. I also declare that it has not been previously or concurrently submitted for any other degree at UPM or other institutions.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

DEDICATION ABSTRACT

ii 111

ABSTRAK ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS APPROVAL DEC LARA TION LIST OF TABLES LIST OF FIGURES LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

V V111 IX Xl XVI XVll XXI

CHAPTER

1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Problem Statement 1 1.2 Knowledge-Based Expert System and its Application in 3

Power-System-Protection Interactive Multimedia Courseware 1.3 Aims and Objectives 4 1.4 Architecture of the Proposed Interactive Multimedia 7

Courseware Based on Knowledge-Based Expert System Approach

1.5 General Thesis Overview 8

2 LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Power System Protection, the Knowledge Domain 11

Fundamentals 2.1.1 Zones of Protection 11

2.2 Interactive Multimedia Courseware 13 2.2.1 Interactive Multimedia as a Computer-Based-Training 14

Courseware 2.2.2 Interactive Multimedia Production and Distribution 18

Process 2.2.3 Multimedia content 19 2.2.4 Knowledge-Based Expert System Approach to 21

Creating Interactive Multimedia Courseware 2.2.4.1 Traditional Knowledge-Based Expert System 22

2.2.4.1.1 Rule-Based Expert System 23 2.2.4.1.2 Expert System Development 24 2.2.4.1.3 Expert System Shell 27

2.2.4.2 Today' s Knowledge-Based Expert System 27 2.2.4.2.1 Examples of Recent 29

Knowledge-Based Expert System in Electrical Engineering

2.2.4.3 Modified Knowledge-Based Expert System 31 Approach to Creating Interactive Multimedia Courseware

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3

2.2.4.3.1 Reusability of Task-Based 33 Expert System Shell

2.2.5 Tutoring System Shell, the Macromedia Director Way 35 2.2.5.1 Director - the Basics 37 2.2.5.2 File Formats for Multimedia Content 37

2.2.6 Software Requirements for Multimedia Content 37 2.2.7 Hardware Requirements for Interactive Multimedia 42

Development 2.2.7.1 System Requirements 43 2.2.7.2 Peripheral Supports 44

2.3 Summary 46

METHODOLOGY 3.1 The General Architecture of the Proposed Interactive 48

Multimedia Courseware 3.2 Development Process of the Proposed Interactive Multimedia 52

Courseware 3.2.1 Analysis Phase 52 3.2.2 Design Phase 54

3.2.2.1 Storyboarding, the Interactive Knowledge 55 Representation 3.2.2.1.1 Product storyboard 56 3.2.2.1.2 Page Storyboard 60

3.2.2.2 Media Element Preparation, Acquisition, 67 Conversion and Editing

3.2.3 Development Phase 77 3.2.3.1 Importing media files into authoring 77

environment 3.2.3.2 Authoring the Complete Project 78

3.2.4 Testing Phase 79 3.2.5 Optimization Phase 80 3.2.6 Implementation Phase 81 3.2.7 Evaluation Phase 82

3.3 Design of the Main Components of the Proposed Courseware 84 3.3.1 Development of Media Element Database 85

3.3.1.1 Objective of Developing Media Element 86 Database

3.3 .1.2 Characteristics and Importance of Media 86 Element Database

3.3.1.3 How to Develop Media Element Database 87 3.3.2 Development of Developer Interface 98

3.3.2.1 Objective of Developing Developer 98 Interface

3.3 .2.2 Characteristics of the Developer Interface 99 3.3.2.3 How to Develop the Developer Interface 99

3.3.3 Development of User Interface 109 3.3.3.1 Objective of Developing User Interface 110 3.3.3.2 Characteristics of User Interface 110 3.3.3.3 Types of User Interface Elements 111

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3.3.3.4 How to Develop User Interface 1 12 3.3 .3.4.i Layered Background Graphics. 1 1 3

Example: Creating Background Sprites For "Generator Protection" Movie

3.3.4 Development of Inference Engine 116 3.3.4.1 Objective of Developing of Inference Engine 116 3.3.4.2 Characteristics of Inference Engine 117 3.3.4.3 How to Develop Inference Engine 117

3.3.5 Development of Multimedia Event Knowledge Base 118 3.3.5.1 Objective of Developing Multimedia Event 119

Knowledge Base 3.3.5.2 Characteristics of Multimedia Event Knowledge 119

Base 3.3.5.3 How to Develop Multimedia Event Knowledge 120

Base 3.3.6 Development of External System Interface for 128

Launching Independent Expert System Shell, MATLAB 3.3 .6.1 Objective of Developing External System 128

Interface 3.3.6.2 Characteristics of External System Interface 128 3.3.6.3 How to Develop External System Interface 130

3.3.7 Development of User Self Test 135 3.3.7.1 Objective of Development of User Self Test 135 3.3.7.2 Characteristics of User Self Test 135 3.3.7.3 How to Develop User Self Test 136

3.4 Packaging and Distributing the Courseware 145 3.4.1 Packaging the Courseware 146

3.4.1.1 Creating a Stub Movie and Stub Projector 149 3.4.2 Protecting Project Files 155 3.4.3 Documenting the Final Application 157 3.4.4 Distributing the Courseware (Burning the Project) 159

3.4.4.1 Burning the Project onto CD-R 162 3.4.5 Creating CD-ROM Label and Case Cover 162

3.5 Evaluation of the System Performance and Effectiveness 164

4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS 4.1 The System's Architectural Component Tests 170

4.1.1 Testing the Media Element Database 171 4.1.2 Testing the Developer Interface 174 4.1.3 Testing the User Interface 177 4.1.4 Testing the Inference Engine 182 4.1.5 Testing the Multimedia Event Knowledge Base 186 4.1.6 Testing the External System Interface For 187

Launching Independent Expert System Shell, MATLAB 4.1.6.1 Tutorial Example in MA TLAB 188

4.1.7 Testing the User Self Test Facility 192

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4.2 Integrated System Test 194 4.3 Results of Evaluation on Performance and Effectiveness of the 199

Knowledge-Based Expert System 4.4 Comparison of the Interactive Multimedia Courseware with 210

Those of Other Works

5 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 5.1 Conclusion 5.2 Recommendation for Future Works

REFERENCES APPENDICES BIODATA OF THE AUTHOR

212 214

217 A-I

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LIST OF TABLES

Table Page

2.1 Various file extensions and their functions. Some file types can be 38 imported into authoring software environment such as Director.

3.1 Evaluation instrument of the Power System Protection tutoring 167 courseware

4.1 Assessment of the overall evaluation of the interactive multimedia 204 courseware.

4.2 Examination of scores resulted from evaluation of the four different 205 sectors separately: a) content, b) presentation and organization of content, c) technical support and update processes and, d) evaluation of learning.

4.3 Frequency of respondent for each different score for the "Content" 207 sector.

4.4 Frequency of respondent for each different score for the "Pedagogical 207 parameters" sector.

4.5 Frequency of respondent for each different score for the "Design 208 factors" sector.

4.6 Frequency of respondent for each different score for the "Technical 209 support and update process" sector.

4.7 Frequency of respondent for each different score for the "Evaluation 209 of learning" sector.

4.8 Comparison between the interactive multimedia courseware for 211 power system protection and other works

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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure Page

1.1 Architecture of the knowledge-based expert system adapted 6 courseware for power system protection tutoring

2.1 A typical interconnected power system and its zones of protection. 12

2.2 Organizing content information of a multimedia product. 18

2.3 Example of an if-then rule. 23

3.1 Workflow based on ADDTOIE model. 53

3.2 Product storyboard. Each box represents a screen page. 58

3.3 Level 1 page storyboard: the main menu. 65

3.4 Level 5 page storyboard: More specific subtopic screen of a 66 protection category (in the case of generator protection).

3.5 The planned Power System Protection main menu screen in level 1 of 72 the product storyboard drawn in the Photoshop environment.

3.6 Png format has smaller bitmap file size compared to that of the psd 71 format.

3.7 A series of sequential images in the Adobe Image Ready environment 73

3.8 Producing figure illustration using Macromedia Freehand for use with 74 hyperlink function.

3.9 The Photoshop design of one of the screens in the Generator 75 Protection Movie.

3.10 files representing one video clip for the laboratory line distance 76 protection.

3.11 Video editing in the Ulead Video Studio environment. 76

3.12 Importing media files into the authoring environment. 78

3.13 Developing media element database (Casts) for exclusive use in the 93 Generator protection Movie according to their functions and types.

3.14 The complete shared Cast Libraries externally linked to virtually all 95

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Movies.

3.15 Creating a new external Cast. 97

3.16 Linking external Cast. 97

3.17 Compartmentalizing Generator Protection Movie into four major 101 sections.

3.18 Categorizing subsections according to levels in the Generator 105 protection techniques screens.

3.19 Categorizing subsections according to levels in the Generator 106 protection techniques screens (continuation of Figure 3.18).

3.20 Placing background and foreground Cast Members from the 114 GenProtScreen Cast Window over to the Score (and Stage).

3.21 The background screen for the Generator Protection Movie. 115

3.22 The background and foreground Sprites are at different layers. 115

3.23 Creating return-to-Power System Protection Movie button and its 122 interactivity Behaviors

3.24 The frame loop Frame Script to make the Playback Head stay in the 126 intended Frame

3.25 Creating facility to launch MATLAB from the main expert system. 133

3.26 Three screen instances of the line test MIA W at three designated 138 Markers: LineProtTest, question 10 and finished.

3.27 Different dialog boxes of Parameters for "Complex Button Behavior" 142

3.28 Dialog box of Parameters for "Graphic Radio Button Behavior" is 145 prompted when the Behavior is attached to each radio button.

3.29 The properties of the Movie Stub and the Behavior Stub1 for 150 navigation to other Movie.

3.30 Settings for packaging the Stub Movie. 151

3.31 Projector icon. 154

3.32 Protecting Director Movies. 158

3.33 The readme. wri file content documenting important guidelines for the 159 users.

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3.34 The selected files in the red box are arranged as shown for correct 161 interactive navigation between files.

3.35 Burning project data onto CD-R with Nero burning software 163

3.36 Creating CD cover using Nero Cover Designer: Booklet front, Booklet 164 Rear, CD case inlay an d CD sticker label.

4.1 Media element database (Casts) in internal and external Cast Libraries 173 for use by Generator Protection Movie.

4.2 Various Frame instances as a result of categorizing subsections 175 according to levels in the Generator protection techniques screens

4.3 Overall sequential representation of the interactive knowledge of the 176 courseware.

4.4 The corresponding Power System Protection category Movies are 179 opened when the corresponding buttons in the main menu Movie are clicked on.

4.5 Example of user interface where the appearance of each screen of the 183 Motor Protection Movie at a particular level is a result of the interactive action on the corresponding text button in the previous screen.

4.6 The video clip presentation of the laboratory distance protection 184 simulation.

4.7 The inference engine determines that the appearance of each screen of 185 the Motor Protection Movie at a particular level must be a result of clicking the corresponding text button in the previous screen.

4.8 Launching of an external expert system shell MA TLAB that resides 188 independently external to the main expert system.

4.9 Tutorial example in the launched MATLAB for overcurrent 191 protection setting and operation

4.10 The behavior of the transmission line waveforms before and after 190 subjected line-ground fault on phase A

4.11 Navigational flow of the Line Protection test facility. 193

4.12 Opening the Option Movie-in-a-Window (MIA W) Movie with its 197 exclusive control over window in the background.

4.13 PC having a larger screen size than that of the application will fill the 198

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rest of the screen outside the Movie with the Movie's black background color.

4. 14 The screen outside the MATLAB application windowis filled with 1 96 black background color.

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Symbol

ADDTOIE

ADC

AI

ANSI

aVl

bmp

CAL

CBT

CD-R

CD-ROM

CD-RW

CLIPS

CODEC

DAC

dir

DV

DVD

gif

GUI

Hz

IEEE

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

Description

Analysis, Design, Development, Testing, Optimization, Implementation, Evaluation

Analogue-to-digital converter

Artificial intelligence

American National Standard Institute

AudioNideo Interleave file format

PC bitmap file format

Computer Assisted Learning

Computer Based Learning

Compact disk - recordable

Compact disk - read only memory

Compact disk - rewritable

C-Ianguage integrated production system

COmpression and DECompression

Digital-to-analogue converter

Director movie file format

Digital video

Digital video disk

Standard graphic file format for on-line services

Graphical user interface

Hertz (frequency)

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

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IEE The Institution of Electrical Engineers

IEM The Institution of Engineers Malaysia

ITS Intelligent Tutoring System

Jpg Joint Photographers Experts Group

MIAW Movie in a window

MIDI Musical Instrument Digital Interface

MO Magneto-optical

MPEG Motion Picture Experts Group

MPC Multimedia personal computer

OCR Optical character recognition

PC Personal computer

png Fireworks graphics file format

psd Photoshop graphics file format

rtf Rich text format

SCADA Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition

WAVE Windows sound file format

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CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

The main objective of this research work is the development of an interactive

multimedia courseware for power system protection knowledge using expert system

approach. In a nutshell, it is an intelligent tutoring system (ITS) for the power

system protection knowledge domain created by using authoring software based on

modified expert system architecture.

The current chapter addresses an overvIew of this research work covenng

discussions on problem statement, solution framework, aims and objectives, the

expert system architecture and thesis layout.

1.1 Problem Statement

Power system protection is a relatively specialized knowledge domain in power

system operation that encompasses a large variety of areas from generator protection

at the source side to as far as motor protection at the load end. The industrial

developments with parallel technological advancements have made the power

system protection to be in a tremendously great demand and wide application. As

the protection revolutionizes from a mere analogue to static and currently more

advanced numerical type, this leads to the emergence of new knowledge on

technical concepts, ideas and theries. No matter how complex the protection system

in the power industry has become, the very fundamental subject knowledge of

various protection schemes are something that all industry players especially

protection engineers, field technicians and learning technical students cannot

disassociate from. The term 'fundamental knowledge' in this context refers to

conceptual understanding, which can be as shallow or as deep and esoteric as

desired (Day and Suri, 1999). Being conversant with the fundamental conceptual

knowledge of protection is in a way prerequisite to successful planning,

management and operation of power system protection.

However, the sources for a complete collection of information on power system

protection comprising the generator protection, station bus protection, line

protection, transformer protection, and motor protection are obviously scattered.

Reference books on the subject matter are plentiful but little do they really have any

impact in imparting conceptual and practical protection knowledge whilst at the

same time providing contemporary industry recommendations on protection

solutions. In tertiary education, the protection knowledge has been taught as a not

to-be-missed course and training for some power major students and the manner it is

taught has usually been of traditional and non-interactive methods (Day and Suri,

1999). This rather passive way of education is only maintaining the actual

absorption of the ever-increasing amount of material in the power system protection

course of limited time duration to be "hoped for rather than being ensured, leading to

lessened opportunity for student participation and interaction with the subject

matter" (Sener, 1991). Within this traditional mode of delivery there ought to be a

scope in automating the power system protection education, as increasingly

attempted by computer-assisted learning (CAL) packages and ITSs for many other

expert domains, which are claimed to be able to propound experiential learning by

actively participate in and interact with the subject matter to enhance their

understanding.

2